Research Highlights
Oceanus Magazine
A curious chemical compound in certain marine algae has been a godsend for oceanographers, helping them reconstruct past ocean conditions. Now the same compounds also may be useful in a completely different way: to produce jet fuel.
New research shows a way to tap overlooked fats in marine algae to produce compounds used in jet fuel.
It’s 3 a.m., and Jesse McNichol is struggling to stay awake. Since midafternoon, he’s been in his lab, tending to a jumble of glassware, plastic tubing, and metal cylinders filled with microbes. He sighs, rubs his bloodshot eyes, and heads…
The Deepwater Horizon oil spill was unprecedented, and five years later, scientists are piecing together new insights into how the oil moved and behaved in the deep ocean.
In a new study, WHOI scientists have demonstrated how the emerging biomedical technique of measuring proteins—a field called proteomics—can be applied to the ocean to reveal the inner biochemical workings of microbial life and ocean ecosystems.
News Releases
An interdisciplinary approach reveals how chemistry, microbes, and ocean circulation work together to shape reef ecosystems
The Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection is supporting a two-year study to quantify carbon storage in both natural and restored eelgrass meadows in coastal waters.
Researchers have identified a diverse set of molecules released by marine phytoplankton that fuel microbial life and help drive Earth’s carbon cycle
A new paper argues that larger, longer studies with rigorous monitoring and clear safeguards are needed to accurately assess OIF as a potential long-term CO2 storage solution.
Coral reefs support more than 25 percent of all marine life and underpin the livelihoods of roughly one billion people globally.
News & Insights
WHOI marine chemist Chris Reddy weighs in on a methane leak in the Baltic Sea
WHOI geochemist Chris German pairs an autonomous surface vehicle (ASV) called a Wave Glider with other vehicles to expand research here and on other Ocean Worlds
Researchers investigate dust from the ocean’s farthest point from land to reconstruct the climactic history of the Southern Hemisphere, and understand how micronutrients have influenced biological productivity in this oceanic desert.
WHOI-MIT joint program student outfits her basement to do vital work on a marine carbon sensor
Infographics strive to give us a sense of how long plastic goods will last in the environment. But is this information reliable? The findings of a new study from WHOI may surprise you.